


What a night

by tennisuhs



Series: FICTOBER2018 [8]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Neighbors, also johnny has internal conflicts, but its like implied, no werid stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 02:15:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16232150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tennisuhs/pseuds/tennisuhs
Summary: Johnny likes his neighbour. Cliché and pathetic, Johnny learns to live with the fact that they will never be more than friends, because what they have is precious. However, on night Ten decides to let the entire apartment building know his side of the story.





	What a night

DAY 8: NEIGHBOURS → JOHNTEN

 

Now, this was not common. Not on a Thrusday night at least but, again it was part of nature and well personal preference and the fact that he was an adult, and yeah all these other arguments Johnny could barely come up with as he debated at the same time if it was better to just ignore it or not. You see, most people would be scrambling for their headphones at this point, trying to conceal some hours of sleep since the week wasn’t over just yet. Ignoring it in favour of respecting someone else’s privacy was would most people do.

 

And in case you are wondering, Johnny really tried to fall into that “majority of people” category. However, there was something about this whole ordeal that made Johnny’s situation a little different. To understand his inner turmoil there has to be a little bit of flashback, so sit on tight. 

 

A year ago or so, Johnny had just moved in his new apartment. It was in a rather expensive neighborhood, and the rent still made his eyes roll back and his mind shut down. Moving all by himself after having three roomates, really marked some sort of milestone in his life. And one could say he was happy: the place was nothing short of beautiful, his decoration choices all thanks to hours upon hours on research in Pinterest, really paid off. Sure the money was a factor to take into account but it was nothing compared to the peace and tranquility of adulthood finally setting in his life.

 

The house warming party had been small, really just his group of friends laying sprawled on his new couch, playing video games and ordering pizza. It was simple and warm, familiarity amidst the new experience. It balanced everything out. The arduous work of moving in every piece of furniture and assembling it seemed worth it, but it lacked something.

 

“Wait dude,” started Yuta coming from the kitchen with yet another beer. “the pizza should be here by now, right?” the boy wasn’t paying much attention to the mario kart competition taking place in Johnny’s living room, he cheered for Sicheng every once in a while and, if Johnny hadn’t known better, one might think he was bored out of his mind.

 

“Yeah, maybe there’s traffic?” Johnny, good ol’ stable Johnny tried to find an explanation or on this case an excuse, as always, not wanting to face the problem dead on. Oh yeah, sweet adulthood. “I mean if they are late that means free pizza, right?” he shrugged before clinking his own bottle of beer against Yuta’s and taking a swing.

 

The race on the screen finished and, as if on cue, the bell run. The host smiled at his worried friend before standing up with a strained. “Free pizza.” before jogging to the main door.

 

At the sight, Johnny’s eyebrows perked up. Standing outside his door was a petite guy, dark strands of hair arranged a little messily as if he had just woken up, he looked sleepy but his shy smile was what really stole the show. It was the slightest bit crooked, charming it almost took Johnny by surprised how that embodiment of beauty was a living thing, rather than a sculpture.

 

Cliché? Very much so, even more coming from someone who was the perfect definition of a hopeless romantic. Even if skeptical about the whole love at first sight, Johnny blinked in awe at the other boy, who was just standing there, with his pizza order in his hands. It hit a few beats too late “Oh yeah, so you are late,” he started, looking behind his shoulder to find an ally in his fight for free food. 

 

“No I’m-” the voice was foreign to Johnny, high pitched and cheerful even if it was just a murmur. It made Johnny do a take back but he stood his front again, prompting the other to continue. “I didn’t order pizza, I believe this is yours.” and with that, small guy was handing him the boxes with the receipt on top. 

 

It was embarrassing, mainly. What crashed onto Johnny was all but pure, back sweat running down his spine, light headed dizziness and timid smile provoking embarrassment. “Ah.” he said pathetically as he took the boxes, eyes reading the small paper but not registering a single number written down. 

 

“You moved recently, right?” asked the other and, now that Johnny could look at his clothes, he really wasn’t wearing the required delivery guy uniform. But rather a silky looking robe, a “kimono” of sorts as fashion people would butcherdly call that piece, marron, tied around his ways and paired with velvet pajama pants. 

 

It left Johnny wondering what kind of guy dresses like that to just chill at his home alone. What if we wasn’t alone? Johnny’s mind felt like overheating at any point. Who was this guy? What was he doing there? Why did he look so fine for? After a mental deep breathing, Johnny remembered to answer. “Yeah, just yesterday in fact.” 

 

A small nod came as a reaction, adorned with a small ‘ah’ and, oh boy, the sweetest smile on earth. The other’s smile reached the corner of his eyes, giving him a juvenile look, fresh and yet still glamorous. Really, who was this man?

 

“I’m Ten, your neighbour I live right there.” he said pointing behind his back, his head half confirming the statement by nodding to that direction slightly. 

 

“Nice to meet you Ten, I’m Johnny.” as a reflex, Johnny tried to stick out his hand for the other to shake, only to remember that he was indeed holding onto four boxes of familiar sized pizzas for him and his friends. 

 

“I know I had to pay for your pizzas.” chuckled out Ten, bouncing on his tiptoes before coming back down. They just stood there for a few seconds, but it really felt like years. The curiosity in Johnny only grew by each moment, there was something about Ten that had drawn the taller at first glance. Again, cliché. But true. 

 

“Did you?” surprised as to how his tone got so low after barely a few minutes, Johnny tried to correct himself, add some sort of joke, anything to make it less awkward, so the other wouldn’t be offended. 

 

“Yes, and I expect some sort of compensation.” sing sung the other, crossing his arms and okay, he was wearing nothing under the kimono. This was too much, what kind of switch turned on between them, Johnny wasn’t sure, but he didn’t want to break whatever was happening either.

 

The taller couldn’t even remember the last time he actually felt attracted to someone so fast and intensely. It had been years, to the point where his friends joked about how he had lost his game. A myth he could now debunk. 

 

“Sure.” agreed Johnny tilting his head. “Come in, I’m having a small house warming party with my friends, if you want to join us?” 

 

“I’d love to, just let me go get changed into something more appropriate.” and it broke. 

 

It was more than noticeable, whatever could have happened between them that exceeded friendship was lost in that last part. And Johnny would replay it every once in a while, triggering the regret of just ditching his friends to have his back against a stranger’s mattress. His friends would have understood, right? 

 

Instead, he found himself sitting next to a now more casually dressed Ten, who drank alongside with his friends, sharing anecdotes about his workplace and, surprisingly fitting into the small group of friends like he had belonged in them forever.

 

When everyone had left but the neighbor, the tension was back. And like a scared, just freshly out of the closet Johnny, nothing happened. If there was disappointment in Ten’s face, Johnny ignored it in favour of keeping his mind sane. If those who claimed that having someone as a friend was better than having them as a partner, were right Johnny would find out.

 

Turns out they weren’t right.

It fucking sucks.

 

Because every time the couple bumped, being it inside the elevator, on the main door or just inviting each other to their apartments to have a cup of tea or a simple dinner, turned out to be torment. Johnny really lost count of how many times he wanted to reach out for the other, to wrap his arms around his shoulders and just let him have his way with him. But, the taller didn’t even know if Ten was comfortable with mere cuddling, so he always dropped it.

 

And then, there was Ten. Pulling out pick up lines, flirting every chance he got, making dick jokes and being overall the most adorable, caring, lovable, funny and marvelous boy on Earth, sitting right next to him in that damn couch, sipping his green tea and talking about how his work was kicking his ass. There was Ten putting his head against Johnny’s shoulder like it was no one’s business, chuckling at every stupid thing he said and just, being there. Honestly, just by him being there it felt like the whole entire galaxy was in his living room.

 

They were walking through rings of fire, the most risky one was where they were right now: a strong friendship with a lot of physical contact that made their friends wonder if there was something more going on in the side lines. Spoiler alert: there wasn’t.

 

But then again, there Johnny was. Let’s bring it back to the beginning: Johnny laying down in his bed, biting down on his lip and having a mental crisis over the sounds coming from Ten’s apartment, because of course their bedrooms were a simple, flimsy wall apart. 

 

On one hand he felt absolutely dirty, it was a complete breach of privacy for him to even be listening: Ten was a consenting adult, who had all the power on his own body and was doing it in the safe space of his apartment. Whatever happened in his sex life, Johnny had no word or authority over it, he was just his friend and he was happy with that.

 

No matter the times he had also touched himself at the thought of standing in front of his neighbour, knees scratched by the rough floor, tongue out. That had been a good one, if Johnny was being honest. However, it didn’t help the tension between them dissipate, if anything obviously, it made it worse. The initial thought of just being friends had hit the floor the night of his first dream. But if he knew anything about the fashion industry (a lot), is that appearances rule the world. So he kept up with the act.

 

Still, Ten didn’t consent to Johnny even listening to him in that situation, so the taller moved to reach his headphones on the back pocket of his jeans, tossed somewhere on the floor beside the bed.

 

As he pulled them out and moved to lie down something rather unexpected happened. And it set Johnny’s entire world on fire.

 

“Oh fuck, Johnny.” came out muffled from the other apartment, a raw moan followed by the lowest grunt. 

 

It was safe to say Johnny’s entire body and mind shut down, leaving him on his back, one ear bud on each hand, eyes blown wide starting at the ceiling and his breathing turning erratic. After a minute the taller could swear he had imagined it, the sounds continued but there was no more call for his name. Yeah, it was his corrupted, horrible mind playing tricks on him. However, the second he moved, he froze again.

 

“You are so good Johnny. Fuck!” all hell broke loose then. The bed squeaks turned louder, so loud he could hear them from his own apartment, he was pretty sure the entire block heard that Ten, luxurious looking, sarcastic Ten (for the ones who didn’t know him), was not only going at it like a mad man, but also calling his neighbours name. Johnny felt like crying. 

 

Lust starting to consume him, from the very pit of his guts, down south and then his mind. His hands acted on their own accord, dropping the headphones somewhere between the sheets. He could only thing about how would it feel to just be there, to do whatever Ten needed, to be whatever Ten wanted him to. He found himself thrusting into this hands, each thrust echoing his name shouted from the other room.

Ten went quiet first after a loud moan. Johnny followed a few minutes later.

 

Well, needless to say, Johnny didn’t sleep that night at all.

  
  
  
  
  
  


If looks could kill Johnny could bet money the entire block would have murdered him by then. Let’s not get carried away, just the neighbours living on top and below Ten, the rest seemed to have had a very decent night sleep without any disturbance. Which Johnny couldn’t be more relieved for. However, rumours and news spread fast, even more so in a place where everyone was either a young rich kid or newly rich, the need to fit into the upper social class using its most chaotic stereotype, brought the worst of people.

 

That’s why Johnny found himself ambushed in his own house, his friends ringing his bell like there was a competition, almost rushing inside like aunties in front of walmart on black friday. They demanded to know everything, the details, what was going on between them. Only to end up with clear disappointment in their features.

 

Ultimately, Yuta threw a pillow to Johnny, landing right in his head from where it was hanging looking at his fingers. The soft fabric crossed his face like a slap, forcing Johnny to meet his attacker sitting on the armchair. However it was kind of awkward, since Sicheng was sitting on his lap, and as tall as he was, he didn’t let Johnny see the very pissed Yuta behind him.

 

“You absolute moron.” spoke said upset friend. “You really can’t take a fucking hint can you?” demanded, eyebrows furrowed.

 

“What if he is like that with all his friends?” fought back a very pathetic looking Johnny.

 

“Like that do you mean the skinship part or the handjob part?” the eat shitting grin in Taeil’s face was so offending Johnny would have slapped him with the pillow if he wasn’t using it as a personal shield, hugging it against his chest. 

 

Nothing bad would happen as long as it was resting against him. God, he shouldn’t have donated his plushies. But the kids looked overjoyed so, yeah maybe not regretting that one.

 

“You are really proud of this one, aren’t you?” Johnny asked instead, squinting at his friend who nodded in response.

 

“Dude, just go to him.” there was enough room between Taeil and Johnny in the couch, but no, mister Won Yukhei was sitting on the floor, legs spread in front of him as long as they could go. “I might not know much but, come on, he literally thinks about you in that way and, it’s not like you don’t know the guy. You like him, Johnny and this is him telling you that the feeling is mutual.”

 

“Well look at you.” teased Sicheng kicking Yukhei’s thigh softly, earning a small chuckle.

 

“I agree it’s terrifying to break what you two have now but, I don’t know man, just try it? Who says you two can’t go back to being friends if it doesn’t go as planned?” continued mister cupid himself Wong Yukhei.

 

“He is right, you know. Talk to him like two adults you are, nothing bad can happen if you are open and honest about your feelings.” that was Taeil, who held the title as the best advice-giver Johnny had ever had the pleasure to know. Well, the elder didn’t major in psychology for nothing.

 

“You guys make it sound so easy.” he said after a sigh, looking at a plain wall in front of him, still unsure what to do with it. “It’s not like I can just walk there and be like ‘I heard you the other night let’s fuck!’, you know?”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Bastards.

 

Fuck them.

 

Friends can go suck a cactus.

 

They really didn’t have to literally drag him across the floor, Yuta and Yukhei finally putting their dumb muscles into good use, as they made Johnny stand up. Taeil throwing a pair of shoes to the other and Sicheng ultimately pushing him out of his own apartment with a “we’ll take care of it!” and then proceeding to close the main door in front of Johnny’s face.

 

Why didn’t he just learn how to shut up.

 

He puffed up his chest and started walking, there was nothing to be afraid off, he was an adult and everything would be alright, wether Ten liked him or not he was about to find out, really not the end of the world. Then why were his palms so sweaty and why did it seem like Ten’s door was in the other side of the country.

 

Three knocks. And Johnny was positively having another breakdown. Some would have fled down the stairs, climb out to the emergency door, jumped into the elevator. Yet, Johnny was frozen in place, hands clenching and unclenching by his side, eyes looking everywhere but the door, and exhales coming out ragged. This was way worse than standing in front of his boss for the first time, by far.

 

The door opened.

 

“Hi, I got locked out of my apartment coul-”

“Of course, mi casa su casa.” smirked Ten as he let the taller in, the spanish was very accented, almost comically so, if it wasn’t because Ten was wearing a big and worn shirt that covered down to his mid thigh. Wait a second.

“Is that my shirt?” Johnny inquired pinching at the fabric around the collar.

“You said you could have it, because and I quote ‘makes me look like an indie rock bad leader who doesn’t care about gender conformity’” Ten stated as if he was reciting a school lesson. There was a playful air surrounding him, yet there was also some tinge of superiority. 

 

Johnny laughed, because of course he did whenever Ten as much as did something other than breathing. “When did I say that?”

 

“Margarita night. you don’t remember?” why did Ten sound so sad? Disappointed even? Wait, did something happen that night? 

 

See, this is why Johnny doesn’t like being a blackout drunk. Which he never was, except that night at the X bar. It was Margarita night and he had had an awful week at work. 

 

“I only remember the bar part.”Johnny answered now walking into the livingroom, shoes discarded in the hall. “Why did something...happen?” it was like approaching a deadly dangerous wild animal, he had to be cautious and remember that there was really no good way to actually get close to it.

 

“You did body shots off of me.” Ten simply answered, casual like he was talking about the weather. “But no worries, I figured you wouldn’t remember. I’ve never seen a giant man so plastered.”

 

There were multiple answers to that: he could laugh it out because at the end he had to agree, he himself had never been so wasted; he could also run and hide somewhere and never step out from his house, or he could just say fuck it and kiss Ten for all it was worth.

 

At the end, Johnny just stood there, mouth gaping. “I’m sorry.” he said at the end, eyes looking at the grey rug under his feet before meeting the other. His attention diverted by Ten’s hand on his own.

 

“Why would you be? Do you regret it now that you know?” Ten had turned to face him on the couch, arm propped on top of the backrest, left feet under his right thigh, exposing a little bit of the underwear he was wearing besides the shirt. 

 

Johnny looked away for a second, the question really weighing him down, physically crouching a little bit in his position. What the fuck was he even doing? How did he end up like this? Was it even worth it? Was this stupid teenage pinning or crush or whatever worth it? Was there a way he could just end it all? Stop those contradictory feelings? Distracting thoughts and overall pain of not  being corresponded? Yes, yes there was.

 

“No I don’t. I just wish I was that brave when I’m sober.” The only thing left to do was confront his feelings, dead on. Something he had disregarded throughout his life. “So I could sit down on your couch and tell you that I’ve felt something for you so strong I still don’t know what to call it, ever since I saw you holding my damn pizzas, that by the way I still owe you for.”

 

It was magical, it really was. The way Ten laughed wholeheartedly, his head almost snapping backwards only to bring it forward once more, bumping it against Johnny’s arm as his laughed turned into a chuckle. It was magical but it was scary. No one wants their most raw feelings to be greeted by a laugh.

 

“Forget about the fucking pizzas, Johnny it’s been a year.” his head rose from Johnny’s arm, and the sudden realisation that they were extremely close hit the taller, but he didn’t retaliate. “I like you too, a lot in case you haven’t noticed. Well, I know you notice but I never knew why you keep pushing me away at the same time you keep pulling me close. It really drives me insane you know.” 

 

Ten’s fingers found Johnny’s resting on a pillow, the eye contact never broke as the taller scooted even closer, body facing the younger. “Drive you insane? Who was the one screaming out my name while jerking off? Did you know how much will power it took for me to not barge into your apartment right then and th-”

 

Eyes half lidded, head tilted and hands travelling up Johnny’s arms, Ten interrupted the other’s speech, which was getting lower and rustier. “They why didn’t you?” his hands met on Johnny’s back, arms wrapped around his neck.

 

“Because again I am a coward, I was afraid of jumping into conclusions and busting my head open.” Johnny confessed, his own hands finding Ten’s thighs. 

 

“So what about now?” asked Ten.

 

“No I want to fucking dive head first, if that’s okay?” their foreheads met softly and Ten chuckled at his words.

 

“So poetic.” Ten joked as he pulled away. “Just kiss me idiot.”

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> hey ho!! this is it for day 8! that was a little bit spicy wasn't it? i had so much fun writing johnnys inner turmoil, but again i apologize if his or Ten's characterisation felt bland or boring. also can i get a round of applause for johnny's gang? 
> 
> i really hope you liked it since they are unbashedly my fave ship in nct, and as always here's my twitter @yhsdior and my curiouscat https://curiouscat.me/youngghos in case you wanna drop by!! take care


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